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In May 2001, a high school junior named Alissa Turney seemingly vanished into thin air.
She mysteriously disappeared on the last day of her junior year at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona.
What should have been a day of celebration quickly turned into a nightmare for her family.
Alissa Turner was just 17 years old when she disappeared without a trace.
Her baffling disappearance is one case that has taken shocking twists and turns over the years, with suspicions falling on those closest to her.
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| Alissa Turney |
Who is Alissa Turney: Her Early Life
Alissa Marie Turney was born on April 3, 1984, in Phoenix, Arizona.
She is the daughter of Barbara Farner Strahm and Stephen Strahm.
She also had an older brother named John.
However, her parents divorced when she was just three years old.
Barbara later remarried an electrician named Michael Turney.
Alissa and her older brother, John, were adopted by Michael.
Soon after, Barbara and Michael had a daughter together named Sarah making them a family of five.
This blended family seemed to hold together despite their backgrounds, until Barbara passed away.
Sadly, when Alissa was only nine years old — her mother, Barbara, passed away from lung cancer.
Michael Turney was left to raise his children alone.
But his strict and controlling nature soon became a source of tension, especially for Alissa.
Friends later recalled that Alissa frequently complained about her stepfather's overbearing behavior.
He reportedly monitored her every move.
He went as far as installing surveillance cameras in their home and reportedly even taped their phone conversations.
Alissa, however, was determined to escape his control and dreamed of moving to California after graduation.
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| Alissa Turney |
A Normal School Day That Ended in Disappearance
Alissa Turney mysteriously disappeared on May 17, 2001.
For many students, it was the last day of school before the summer break.
But for Alissa Turney, it became the last day anyone ever saw her.
According to her stepfather, Michael Turney, he dropped her off at Paradise Valley High School in the morning.
However, around lunchtime, he claimed to have picked her up early.
Michael later told police that they had a heated argument, which made Alissa to storm off.
That evening, her younger half-sister, Sarah, and Michael discovered a handwritten note in Alissa’s bedroom.
The note indicated that she had decided to run away to California.
This seemed plausible at first, but several inconsistencies quickly raised alarm bells.
Alissa left behind all her personal belongings, including her cell phone, makeup, and even a substantial amount of money she had saved.
More disturbingly, her car, which she had recently gotten, remained parked at home.
These were not the actions of someone planning a new life elsewhere.
The family initially believed that Alissa would return, but days turned into weeks, and Alissa was still missing.
A Case Grows Cold: Early Investigation and Shocking Revelations
Michael Turney reported Alissa as a runaway on the very day she disappeared, yet the police did not treat her case with urgency.
Since there was no sign of foul play and considering the note Alissa supposedly left, authorities were quick to categorize it as a case of a rebellious teenager fleeing from home.
Michael later claimed that he received a call from Alissa Turney a week after she disappeared.
According to him, the call came from a California number, where Alissa allegedly cursed at him before abruptly hanging up.
However, there was no way to verify this call, and the lead went cold.
For years, Alissa Turney’s case remained stagnant.
It wasn’t until 2006 that a significant but ultimately false lead emerged.
Serial killer Thomas Albert Hymer, serving a life sentence in Florida, confessed to killing Alissa Turney.
However, upon further investigation, detectives discovered that Hymer had never even met Alissa and had confused her with another victim.
This dead end brought more frustration to a family desperate for answers.
The investigation took a dramatic turn in 2008 when authorities shifted their focus to the person closest to Alissa — her stepfather, Michael Turney.
Michael’s past behavior began to raise eyebrows.
Friends and even Alissa herself had previously hinted at a strained and disturbing relationship with him.
Friends reported that Michael was not only controlling but also verbally abusive.
The police's suspicions were further raised by Michael’s refusal to allow a search of his home when investigators wanted to inspect Alissa’s room.
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| Alissa Turney |
Explosives, Bomb Plots, and a Chilling Confession
The case heated up in December 2008 when detectives executed a search warrant on Michael Turney's home.
What they found was beyond shocking.
Inside the house, authorities discovered over two dozen homemade explosive devices and 19 firearms.
They also found a manifesto outlining plans for a mass attack on a local union headquarters.
Michael Turney was arrested immediately.
He was not arrested for Alissa’s disappearance — he was instead charged with unlawful possession of explosives.
He was convicted and sentenced to a decade in prison, though he was released early in 2017.
Despite being a convicted felon, Michael Turney continued to deny any involvement in Alissa's disappearance, even as mounting evidence seemed to suggest otherwise.
In his writings, he alleged that Alissa was killed by two assassins from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Investigators, however, found this story to be far-fetched and lacking credible evidence.
Social Media and the Fight for Justice: Sarah Turney's Crusade
The latest breakthrough in Alissa Turney's case came from a determined campaign by her younger sister, Sarah Turney.
Refusing to let her sister’s case go cold, Sarah turned to social media, launching a podcast called Voices for Justice.
Through TikTok videos and podcast episodes, she shared intimate details and evidence that pointed to her father's involvement in Alissa's disappearance.
One viral TikTok video alone garnered millions of views, reigniting public interest in the case.
In 2020, nearly two decades after Alissa's disappearance, Michael Turney was finally arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Sarah’s relentless efforts paid off, bringing hope that justice would finally be served.
However, in 2023, Michael was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
This left Alissa’s case officially unsolved but still very much alive in the public's consciousness.
The Search Continues: Renewed Efforts to Solve a Cold Case
Despite the acquittal, the case of Alissa Turney remains open.
The Phoenix Police Department continues to seek new leads and tips, especially given the resurgence of interest thanks to documentaries and true crime podcasts.
Most recently, the case was featured on the Dateline NBC and 20/20, sparking new conversations about what really happened to Alissa Turney.
The most recent documentary, Family Secrets: The Disappearance of Alissa Turney, aired on Oxygen true Crime and Peacock in October 2023, bringing renewed attention to this cold case.
Sarah Turney remains undeterred, continuing to advocate for answers and justice for her sister.
The #JusticeForAlissa movement is still active, with thousands of supporters rallying behind Sarah's cause.
Alissa Turney’s disappearance is a tragic mystery that has spanned over two decades, with countless twists, shocking allegations, and a family torn apart by suspicion.
While the quest for truth continues, one thing is clear — the search for Alissa has become a symbol of hope for many families fighting for justice for their missing loved ones.
The relentless dedication of her sister Sarah serves as a powerful reminder that even in the face of overwhelming odds, one voice can make a difference.
As of today, Alissa’s case remains unsolved.
However, with ongoing efforts from her family and law enforcement, there is still hope that one day, the truth will come to light.
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